Kurdistan President calls for justice and self-governance for Yazidis on genocide anniversary

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani expressed "deep regret" that more than 5,000 Yazidi abductees remain unaccounted for, urging both the Kurdish and Iraqi governments to intensify efforts to prosecute those responsible for atrocities against the Yazidi community.

Speaking at the tenth-anniversary commemoration of the Yazidi genocide, held in Erbil, President Barzani described the genocide as "one of the most heinous crimes in history." He said, "Today, ten years after that tragedy, the wound has not healed, and our Yazidi citizens still suffer from its consequences. This genocide stands alongside other severe crimes such as chemical bombings, the Anfal campaign, burying victims alive, and widespread destruction—all crimes committed against the people and land of Kurdistan."

"More than 5,000 people were martyred, with hundreds of them killed by gunfire and buried in approximately 100 mass graves underground. Over 6,000 Yazidis were abducted, including 417 girls, women, and children. They were enslaved, sold, and bought in markets. Unfortunately, around 2,596 Yazidi abductees remain missing with their fate still unknown."

The President also renewed his call for the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement. "Sinjar needs normalization through the implementation of its specific agreement," Barzani stated. "The Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government should agree on normalizing the situation in the region to ensure that the Yazidi community is not further victimized."

He stressed that the people of Sinjar should govern themselves without external interference, insisting that the PKK must leave the district to facilitate this self-governance.